When the conductors in a flat conductor cable must be disengageably connected to conductors on a circuit board, it is common practice to use electrical connectors of a type comprising an insulating housing having contact terminals therein which are soldered to the conductors on the circuit board. The housing and the contact terminals are arranged such that the end of the flat conductor cable can be inserted into the housing and upon insertion, the conductors of the cable will be electrically contacted by the contact terminals. Other types of connectors for connecting flat conductor cable conductors to conductors on a circuit board are also known and most of them consist of an insulating housing containing contact terminals which conduct current from the cable conductors to the circuit board conductors.
The present invention is directed to the achievement of an improved and simplified connector for connecting the conductors of a flat conductor cable to conductors on a circuit board and which comprises a single one-piece stamped and formed device which holds the cable conductors directly against the circuit board conductors.
A connector clip in accordance with the present invention comprises a clip bar having a plurality of cantilever spring members extending from one of its longitudinal edges and flanges extending from its ends. The spring members are reversely formed and each has a spring arm which is between the flanges and a free end having pressure applying portion adjacent thereto. Mounting ears are provided on the clip and on the flanges so that the connector clip can be mounted on the board at a location such that the pressure applying portions of the spring members are against the conductors on the board. The cable conductors are connected to the circuit board conductors by stripping the insulating film from one surface of the cable and inserting the stripped portion into the connector clip with the plane of the film extending normally of the planes of the flanges. The cable is inserted until the exposed cable conductors are against the circuit board conductors and the pressure applying portions of the springs are pressing the cable conductors firmly against the circuit board conductors. Connector clips in accordance with the invention can be used to connect cable conductors to terminal posts extending from a board or to flat conductors on the surface of the circuit board. In accordance with a further aspect of the invention, there are provided interengageable shoulders on the cable and on the flanges of the connector clip so that the cable cannot be accidentally removed from the clip.